Mini Gluten-Free Vegan Almond Croissants

Want gluten-free, dairy-free almond croissants without spending all day making laminated yeasted dough? This mini version gets straight to the point: ready-made puff pastry, a simple almond cream, and two rounds in the oven.

With the first bite, you get flaky layers, vanilla syrup that soaks in just enough, and crisp almonds on top. It’s the kind of batch that disappears quickly at brunch, snack time, or on a dessert table. You can keep going with the site’s other gluten-free pastries.

What are mini gluten-free vegan almond croissants?

These are small croissants made from store-bought gluten-free vegan puff pastry. Bake them once, then split them open, soak them with lukewarm vanilla syrup, fill them with almond cream, and top them with a second layer of cream before a second bake.

Here, the almond cream is made with vegan butter, sugar, almond flour, and gluten-free flour, with plant-based cream in place of eggs. The recipe is measured by weight, using the metric system, for accuracy from start to finish.

Ready-made pastry saves a lot of time: thaw it, roll it out, and bake it. It isn’t perfect, and it can crack, but that’s not really a problem here since the croissants are later filled and topped with almond cream and almonds.

Key ingredients

The base is gluten-free vegan puff pastry. Schär’s works well. You can handle it on a lightly floured surface, or directly on parchment paper if you prefer to avoid the countertop.

The almond cream gives the pastries their richness and body. Beat the vegan butter and sugar together first, then add the plant-based cream for a smooth texture. Here, it replaces the eggs. You can use a thick plant-based cream similar to double cream, or a full-fat whipping cream alternative, depending on what you can find.

Almond flour provides the main flavor, and the small amount of gluten-free flour helps hold everything together. For the vanilla, use either extract or 1 vanilla bean in the almond cream. For the topping, sliced, slivered, or flaked almonds all work.

The recipe clearly distinguishes almond cream from frangipane. Frangipane also contains pastry cream, which gives it a softer texture after baking. If you want to go that route, mix 20% vegan pastry cream into the almond cream.

Technical notes and pitfalls to avoid

Because the recipe is short, order and texture matter. There are two bakes of 12 to 15 minutes, a syrup that should be used lukewarm, and an almond cream that should stay smooth without being overmixed once the dry ingredients are added.

The almond cream

Start with an electric mixer and beat the vegan butter, salt, and sugar together. This base matters before you add anything else.

Then add the plant-based cream in two additions, not all at once. Wait until the first addition is fully incorporated before adding the second, then mix until smooth.

When you add the almond flour and gluten-free flour, switch to low speed or finish with a spatula. The goal is simply to get a smooth, even mixture.

The vanilla syrup

For the syrup, bring the water and sugar to a boil, then add the vanilla. Use either vanilla powder or extract, depending on what you have.

Do not remove the saucepan from the heat until the sugar has fully dissolved. Then let the syrup cool slightly: it should be lukewarm when you soak the croissants, not piping hot.

Shaping and first bake

Preheat the oven to 190°C before you start assembling. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface—really just lightly floured—or directly on parchment paper. The second option works especially well with slightly fragile gluten-free dough.

Cut each sheet into six long triangles. To form the mini croissants, roll each triangle from the wide base toward the tip.

Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the croissants are golden. Let them cool before splitting them open, otherwise they will break more easily.

Filling and second bake

Split the croissants lengthwise with a bread knife. Brush them with the lukewarm vanilla syrup, or dip them quickly, then let them drain for a few minutes on a rack.

Transfer the almond cream to a piping bag. Pipe about 1 tablespoon into the center of each croissant for the filling, then add about 1 more tablespoon on top.

Press this top layer of cream into the almonds so they adhere well. Bake again at 190°C for 12 to 15 minutes, until the almonds are golden and crisp. Let cool before dusting with icing sugar, and do that just before serving.

Storage

These are not meant for long storage. One detail does help during assembly: after soaking them in syrup, let the croissants drain on a rack for a few minutes before filling them. That keeps the pastry from turning soggy and the cream from sliding around.

For more baking without animal products, check out my vegan gluten-free recipes.

Recipe developed by Chef Rommel Reyes. Find his work on Instagram, his Substack newsletter, and his YouTube channel.